2008 Peewee A Regionals Update (Feb 26th)

[frederick61]

The District playoffs are over. The following teams have won these seeds in their district playoffs and play in the peewee A North, East, South and West Regional tourneys with the top two teams emerging to play in the peewee A state tourney.

D1-#1 Mpls Park, #2 Irondale, and #3 Highland.
D2-#1 North St. Paul, #2 White Bear Lake, and #3 Roseville
D3-#1 Wayzata, #2 Maple Grove, and #3 Hopkins
D4-#1 Faribault and #2 New Prague.
D5-#1 Buffalo and #2 Mound Westonka
D6-#1 Chaska, #2 Edina, #3 Eden Prairie
D8-#1 Woodbury and #2 Eagan
D10-#1 St. Cloud and #2 Coon Rapids
D11-#1 Cloquet, #2 Duluth East, and #3 Hermantown
D12-#1 Grand Rapids, #2 International Falls and #3 Hibbing
D15-#1 Little Falls, #2 Moorhead and #3 Fergus Falls
D16-#1 Roseau, #2 EGF and #3 Crookston

North Region Draw (at Cloquet Feb 29 to March 2
Red Pool: (First two games on Friday)
St. Cloud plays Duluth East/International Falls/Hermantown
Duluth East plays St. Cloud/Hermantown/International Falls
International Falls plays Hermantown/St. Cloud/Duluth East
Hermantown plays International Falls/Duluth East/St. Cloud
Blue Pool: (Last two games on Saturday)
Cloquet plays Coon Rapids/Grand Rapids/Hibbing
Coon Rapids plays Cloquet/Hibbing/Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids plays Hibbing/Cloquet/Coon Rapids
Hibbing plays Grand Rapids/Coon Rapids/Cloquet

It was projected here that Coon Rapids were not playing well enough to make it out of the D10 playoffs based on recent play. They didn’t and dropped down to the Blue Pool as the #2 seed. But Duluth East had difficulty taking the D11 playoff champ from Cloquet. They didn’t, losing the last two playoff games to Cloquet 4-0 and 3-1. The result is that Duluth East went into the Red Pool. The D10 and D11, #1 and #2 seeds, swapped teams. That, however, should not change the out come.

The key North region matchup moves from Friday morning to Friday afternoon when Coon Rapids meets Cloquet in what should be one great game. The changes also sets up an interesting game Friday morning when St. Cloud plays Duluth East in the Red Pool. On the surface, one could argue that the winner of these two games will make it to the Sunday games and the opportunity to play in the State Tourney in Willmar. But Grand Rapids (Blue Pool) and Hermantown (Red Pool) could throw both pools into a three way tie making goal differential the tie breaker. Hibbing and International Falls better be eating their Wheaties, all three teams in their pool will be out to beat them by more then 6 goals.

The projection here remains unchanged from last week. Hermantown’s draw is unchanged and gives them the advantage in the Red Pool. They should emerge with #1 seed and St. Cloud with the #2 seed. The Blue Pool is now set up for Cloquet. They should beat Coon Rapids and take the #1 Seed leaving the two Rapids teams to battle for the #2 Seed. Coon Rapids should take that seed, and their defense should contain Hermantown in the fight for the North #1 seed. Cloquet should best St. Cloud for the North #2 seed.

East Region Draw (at St. Louis Park Feb 29th to March 3rd)
Red Pool (First two games on Friday)
North St. Paul plays Maple Grove/Eagan/White Bear Lake
Maple Grove plays North St. Paul/White Bear Lake/Eagan
Eagan plays White Bear Lake/North St. Paul/Maple Grove
White Bear Lake plays Eagan/Maple Grove/North St. Paul
Blue Pool:(last two games on Saturday)
Wayzata plays Roseville Lake/Woodbury/Hopkins
Roseville plays Wayzata/Hopkins/Woodbury
Woodbury plays Hopkins/Wayzata/Roseville
Hopkins plays Woodbury/Roseville/Wayzata

The real question is which Maple Grove team shows up, the one that got trounced by Mpls Park in the St. Cloud tourney or the one that trounced a tough Minnetonka team. The NSP plays Maple Grove in the morning and could take Maple Grove regardless of which team shows up. But Eagan should be more powerful in the second game then the short benched NSP team, leaving the Sunday game between Maple Grove and Eagan as the decider. If Maple Grove wins, it could end in a three way tie between these teams. Goal differential may make the winner. Eagan and NSP should come out 1&2.

In the Blue Pool, Hopkins looks over matched and Roseville has been too inconstant to beat either Wayzata or Woodbury with the chips on the line. Wayzata and Woodbury should take 1&2. That pits Eagan against Woodbury in a repeat of the D8 championship game. The D8 championship game was played with 12 minute stop time periods and Eagan struggled. Add to that, Eagan has lost three times this season to Woodbury. But Eagan came back to beat a tough Lakeville South team 5-0 to take the D10 #2 seed. Last week, I tossed the coin on this game, but after seeing Woodbury beat Eagan 3-0 in the D10 championship game, the nod goes to Woodbury. But the coin still looks good. In the other game, Wayzata should prevail over a tired, short benched, Polar team for the #2 East Region seed.

South Region (at Chaska Feb 29 to March 2):
Red Pool:
Faribault plays Edina/Eden Prairie/Irondale
Edina plays Faribault/Irondale/Eden Prairie
Irondale plays Eden Prairie/Edina/Faribault
Eden Prairie plays Irondale/Faribault/Edina
Blue Pool:
Chaska plays New Prague/Mpls Park/Highland
New Prague plays Chaska/Highland/Mpls Park
Mpls Park plays Highland/Chaska/New Prague
Highland plays Mpls Park/New Prague/Chaska

The South Region has fairly well predicted in the past two months. Now the rubber hits the road. Chaska has been playing well, but has been inconsistent. Their trip into D12 the weekend before the playoffs was a winning trip (four wins), but they did not play well. Their advantage is playing the regional at home. The hometown fans will help. But will they show up cold. New Prague has not be idle the past two weeks and Mpls Park and Irondale concluded D1 playoffs this weekend.

The Red Pool remains unchanged with each team playing two games on Friday, Faribault plays Edina and Highland plays Eden Prairie in the morning and switching in the evening setting up another meeting between Eden Prairie and Edina, but not a life or death game, but rather a game for position coming out of the pool. Faribault has been working hard to prepare for this weekend and they are looking to take a key victory. That wouldn’t be a surprise here. The winner of the Red pool will get the #2 Blue Pool seed, on the surface, a weaker team. The forecast is unchanged, Edina should emerge #1 and Eden Prairie #2.

West Region(at Brainerd Feb 29 to March 2):
Red Pool:
Buffalo plays Moorhead/EGF/Fergus Falls
Moorhead plays Buffalo/Fergus Falls/EGF
EGF plays Fergus Falls/Buffalo/Moorhead
Fergus Falls plays EGF/Moorhead/Buffalo
Blue Pool:
Little Falls plays Mound Westonka/Roseau/Crookston
Mound Westonka plays Little Falls/Crookston/Roseau
Roseau plays Crookston/Little Falls/Mound Westonka
Crookston plays Roseau/Mound Westonka/Little Falls

The West Region draws were set last week. Roseau has not sat this past week playing a game on the weekend against a solid Grand Forks Sugarkings team losing 3-2). The Sugarkings are a tough team and though it’s a loss, the game indicates that Roseau is improving. But EGF also played the Sugarkings this week, beating them 7-4. That win makes them odds on favorites in the Red Pool especially opening with Fergus Falls and Buffalo on Friday. Moorhead (I believe) plays also in a league with the Fargo teams and has league games with those teams. Fergus Falls also are playing Fargo teams. They are not standing still. Buffalo has been idle for two weeks and Crookston and Little Falls are don’t knows.

With this as background, it makes the West Regional more interesting. Clearly EGF should take the #1 seed, but Buffalo comes into the tourney playing cold and open on Friday morning against Moorhead who will be prepared. That makes Moorhead the #2 seed in the Red Pool and Little Falls and Roseau are the #1 and #2 West seeds, but in what seed. If Little Falls or Roseau are #1, they will play Moorhead and should advance. If either of these teams are #2, they draw EGF in a game to tough to call. Against Roseau, EGF has lost three times 6-3, 6-3 and 3-2. Can they lose a fourth game? EGF and Little Falls have not played each other, but the nod still goes to Little Falls because of their play the past two months. The West Seeds are unchanged from last week with Little Falls #1 and Roseau #2.

That sets up a State Tourney opening round as follows:
Little Falls plays Eden Prairie
Coon Rapids plays Wayzata
Edina plays Roseau
Woodbury plays Cloquet

[2pipesnin]

Dude (frederick) you need to get a life!

[netminder.net]

2pipesnin wrote

Dude (frederick) you need to get a life!

Why?? Because he routinely provides us with useful information, in a interesting format, based on his genuine interest in youth hockey. And does this without any bias, or grandstanding for an association or team.
Or is it because his posts seem to be long, with a lot of words. There are plenty of short (5 to 10 word) posts on this forum, usually including interesting stuff like who the best 99 born player is, or "what do you think of # 13 , the forward for Edina?" posted by greenhornetguy#13.
Frederick, thank you for what you provide, but if you really feel the need to "get a life, dude" please wait till after the season is over.

[ctbrow1]

fred you need to edit your analysis of the south pool. i am pretty sure you will quickly see the mistake you made in your analysis...

[RickO'Shea]

Against Roseau, EGF has lost three times 6-3, 6-3 and 3-2. Can they lose a fourth game?

They've played four times. EGF also lost 4-0 in the Moorhead tournament.

[GF Hockey #2]

Last weekend EGF beat the GF Sugarkings and the next day the Sugarkings beat Roseau,
I would say that it all depends on the day.

[edge]

Roseau didn't have anything to play for other then getting alittle ice time. I'm sure they will be ready for regions. EGF is seems to playing strong hockey at the right time.

[TTpuckster]

Fredrick,

You are the MAN!!!

Tanks a bunch.

Go EGF!!!!

[TTpuckster]

Roseau didn't have anything to play for other then getting alittle ice time. I'm sure they will be ready for regions. EGF is seems to playing strong hockey at the right time.

Agreed, but EGF didn't have anything to play for either.

Although EGF and any GF team is a big rivalry game.

Anyway, good luck to all PW teams.

[egf hockey1]

I think that the GF Sugarkings game against EGF and Roseau are a bit misleading. These are 12-13 year old kids and it just proves that sometimes they just don't play their best games. Sugarkings have one star player in Lizotte, he is big and physical and if you shut him down you shut down the Sugarkings. EGF knows that, Roseau may not have.

Roseau did beat EGF 4 times - 2 open net goals to secure wins, and the tying goal with 40 seconds left in District championship, only to have Roseau score 10 seconds later. Very evenly matched teams. If they meet up should be a battle.

Good Luck to all this weekend!!!!!!!!!

[love2skate]

Frederick. Which Regional games are you going to watch this weekend.